Tofu and eggplant in coconut milk

Rank kitchen

My life as a seed grower in the fall is so busy that I don't have time to continue writing my food column, Cuisine de rang, and I apologize for that. However, I did use my last Diamond eggplants to prepare a comforting vegetarian stew made with coconut milk. Inspired by Thai cuisine, this dish can be adapted with whatever vegetables are available and served over plain or fried basmati rice.

Tofu and eggplant in coconut milk (8 servings)

Ingredients

• 60 ml vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 4 carrots, cut into rounds
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 10 mushrooms, sliced
• 2 eggplants (or more depending on their size), diced
• 1 block of tofu, diced
• 1 can of 400 ml coconut milk
• 1 liter of pureed or diced tomatoes
• 1 liter of vegetable broth
• 15 ml curry powder
• 30 ml chopped basil leaves
• Salt, according to your taste

Preparation

An hour before preparing the dish, cut the block of tofu into cubes and marinate it with an oriental preparation that includes a spicy sauce like Szechuan sauce, damari or tamari, toasted sesame oil and a hint of maple syrup. Chop the garlic, peel the eggplant and cut them into cubes, then slice the other vegetables. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil and simmer the garlic and curry for a few minutes. Add the other vegetables and sweat them over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree, broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for one hour. Add the tofu and simmer for another fifteen minutes. Add salt to taste.

Enjoy your meal!

Yves Gagnon, author and seed producer.